Huxley Week

Did you know (and I bet you didn't) that all of Huxley's essays are available in a six-volume set, dutifully called, Complete Essays. I took the liberty of reading the first of these volumes, and I have to say, it's not for the casual fan. The first volume encompasses the years 1920-1925 and all the essays are more or less in the range of two to three pages in length. The book is split into four parts: art, music, politics, and travel. The first two sections are by far the longest, and for me, the most painful. I am not disinterested in either subject, but Huxley is deeply devoted to covering the contemporary scene in such a way that it makes for often trying reading, 80 years after the fact. And I am going to take back the first half of my "I am not disinterested" statement. I am, after all, disinterested in classical music, which is the only sort of music Huxley cares to talk about. He speaks of jazz with contempt.


The last portions of the book are more enjoyable, but it is still difficult to recommend them. Huxley has always been clever with his words (what else would he be clever with?) but there is little modern-day relevance to these writings. He has no insight into World War One, though it is somewhat interesting to read of the "uneasy peace" that he describes, knowing that World War Two is coming down the pike. The articles included in Complete Essays Vol 1were mostly pieces for Vanity Fair, a now defunct magazine called On the Margins, or the Westminster Gazette and the lack of substantial length really prevents Huxley from getting a good grip on a subject. The travel essays are reprinted from an early book of his called Along the Road.


It is an expensive and time-consuming book, recommended only for those who have a fanatical obsession with reading Huxley, such as I have had over the last few months.